The Leafs are going full Oiler

[Strat]

Teams in rebuild status should be giving a price break to their fans.

It's ridiculous that tickets in Toronto are like 200$ easy when you're almost guaranteed a loss.

Thankfully, I'm not a Leafs fan, but I can only imagine how frustrating that would be.

 

[londonHK]

I'm not planning the parade but do think this is the right move and have some faith that Shanahan has a plan and knows what he's doing. As terrible as this year has been for this team, it's been a great year for assessing players and staff, and Shanahan & his team have shown patience and the ability to not overreact, which are important things for rebuilding in this market. This is great news.

 

[Number 57]

The Leafs arn't in such a bad shape at all, Shanahan just needs to show he's got the balls to make moves.

The Leafs have a good base core. They have Rielly, Nylander, Bernier, Percy, Gauthier, Gardiner, JVR, Komarov, Holland, Panik, Kadri. If you can find a suitor for Kessel, you're getting at least a key young player back + a 1st round pick.

Clarkson needs to go to the minors. Then, Bozak dumped for a pick or two, and Phaneuf for a decent return if possible.

The Leafs would be left with a so-so roster, but some very good young players. They're also gonna have a high pick in 2015, and probably again in 2016.

From then on, they should enter a window in which they'd be considered one of the top up-and-coming teams around, if Shanahan doesn't screw up. They'll also possess one very hot commodity these days: cap space.

Leafs skeleton:

Van Riemsdyk - Nylander - ??
2015 1st - Kadri - 2016 1st
Komarov - Gauthier - UFA
McKegg/Carrick - Holland - Panik

Rielly - ??
Gardiner - Finn
Percy - Granberg

Bernier - UFA

This is not a rocket science roster, basically just sign one or two UFA for depth and what really needs to be done is finding another potential front-line player either a F or a D via the Kessel trade... Then just get as much assets as possible from trading the likes of Lupul, Franson, Phaneuf, Winnik, Santorelli, Reimer and Bozak and the rest should play itself out with good player development and smart moves by Shanahan. Draft well and and developp well, that's they key.

 

[Bending and Tending]

Los Angeles, Chicago Black Hawks, Pittsburgh Penguins...yeah rebuilds are silly.

Basically the only argument against a full rebuild is Edmonton and unfortunately for them and their fan base, their management is incompetent.

Maybe not now, but Colorado, Calgary, Florida, Winnipeg, and the NY Islanders are looking like they could be in that category as well (that teams can rebuild successfully with a few "rough" years)

 

[HarrisonFord]

The Leafs arn't in such a bad shape at all, Shanahan just needs to show he's got the balls to make moves.

The Leafs have a good base core. They have Rielly, Nylander, Bernier, Percy, Gauthier, Gardiner, JVR, Komarov, Holland, Panik. If you can find a suitor for Kessel, you're getting at least a key young player back + a 1st round pick.

Clarkson needs to go to the minors. Then, Bozak dumped for a pick or two, and Phaneuf for a decent return if possible.

The Leafs would be left with a so-so roster, but some very good young players. They're also gonna have a high pick in 2015, and probably again in 2016.

From then on, they should enter a window in which they'd be considered one of the top up-and-coming teams around, if Shanahan doesn't screw up. They'll also possess one very hot commodity these days: cap space.

So go, Shanahan, it's your move.

This is pretty much exactly what needs to happen. Though I'd add in Lupul needing to be flipped for something, and I don't think (sadly) that you'll ever see Clarkson in the minors

 

[Retire91]

I think its a good idea IMO the kessel trade was not horrible but I never understood why Brian Burke thought they could turn the team around without the draft. When he took on the team it was in real sorry shape and trading away picks for one player and then doing a bunch of signings was not going to make a contendor.

Hope they get it right this time. They should reverse the Kessel trade and get some top notch prospects or picks. At least Clarkson's contract will be up at the end of the rebuild.

 

[buttman*]

The Leafs have apparently been authorized to go into a full rebuild. They are using the "scorched earth" approach and are prepared to be bad for 3-5 years.


But seriously? Haven't other GMs seen that it didn't work out well for Edmonton.

You should never go full Oiler.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-shanahans-scorched-earth-leafs-plan-wins-mlse-support/article22938348/

Didn't work for the Oilers, but let's have a look around and see.

Chicago: Kane 1st overall, Toews 3rd overall are the players that turned it around for that franchise. They had plenty of other top 10 picks before this including Cam Barker 3rd overall.

Tampa Bay: Stamkos 1st overall, Hedman 2nd overall, Drouin 3rd overall. You can talk all you want about the Tyler Johnson and other picks but without Stamkos and Hedmen -- 2 products of tanking this team isn't nearly as good.

Pittsburg: Crosby, Malkin and Fleury -- the core built from tanking.

NYI - Tavares, Ryan Strome 5th, Kyle Okposo 7th etc. Their best players from sucking.

While it's possible to build a team it's near impossible to acquire a franchise centre od D unless it's from the draft. You can certainly build a team around them but without the core...

 

[Pyromaniac]

Teams in rebuild status should be giving a price break to their fans.

It's ridiculous that tickets in Toronto are like 200$ easy when you're almost guaranteed a loss.

Thankfully, I'm not a Leafs fan, but I can only imagine how frustrating that would be.

If you cannot afford the ticket then stay at home. If it isn't worth your money to spend money on buying a ticket to see a rebuilding team, then don't go. No one is forcing you to pay the prices.

I know this won't be a popular statement but this is a business its silly for owners to decrease prices when there is enough demand.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Should've done this a long time ago. O well, better late than never

 

[londonHK]

Pretty pathetic that teams are allowed to openly talk about not caring about winning. Watching a team as rich as Toronto do it is even worse.

Yes, because there's no salary cap, so rich teams can just throw money at the best players.

 

[madmike77]

The Leafs have apparently been authorized to go into a full rebuild. They are using the "scorched earth" approach and are prepared to be bad for 3-5 years.


But seriously? Haven't other GMs seen that it didn't work out well for Edmonton.

You should never go full Oiler.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-shanahans-scorched-earth-leafs-plan-wins-mlse-support/article22938348/

Going full Oiler with competent management isn't a bad plan.

Going full Oiler when your idols and drinking buddies are running the team is a bad idea.

 

[RefsIdeas]

The Leafs arn't in such a bad shape at all, Shanahan just needs to show he's got the balls to make moves.

The Leafs have a good base core. They have Rielly, Nylander, Bernier, Percy, Gauthier, Gardiner, JVR, Komarov, Holland, Panik, Kadri. If you can find a suitor for Kessel, you're getting at least a key young player back + a 1st round pick.

Clarkson needs to go to the minors. Then, Bozak dumped for a pick or two, and Phaneuf for a decent return if possible.

The Leafs would be left with a so-so roster, but some very good young players. They're also gonna have a high pick in 2015, and probably again in 2016.

From then on, they should enter a window in which they'd be considered one of the top up-and-coming teams around, if Shanahan doesn't screw up. They'll also possess one very hot commodity these days: cap space.

Leafs skeleton:

Van Riemsdyk - Nylander - ??
2015 1st - Kadri - 2016 1st
Komarov - Gauthier - UFA
McKegg/Carrick - Holland - Panik

Rielly - ??
Gardiner - Finn
Percy - Granberg

Bernier - UFA

This is not a rocket science roster, basically just sign one or two UFA for depth and what really needs to be done is finding another potential front-line player either a F or a D via the Kessel trade... Then just get as much assets as possible from trading the likes of Lupul, Franson, Phaneuf, Winnik, Santorelli, Reimer and Bozak and the rest should play itself out with good player development and smart moves by Shanahan. Draft well and and developp well, that's they key.

Nylander is a 1C now? Oh.

 

[Leafidelity]

Pretty pathetic that teams are allowed to openly talk about not caring about winning. Watching a team as rich as Toronto do it is even worse.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/1...s-hitting-reset-trade-deadline-selling-assets

"It was like, 'Don't worry about tomorrow. Just try and eke out whatever we can eke out and try to get to the playoffs,'" Maloney said. "Now what's happened with Andy and the [ownership] group is, 'Let's take a step back. Let's take the long-term view.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Pretty pathetic that teams are allowed to openly talk about not caring about winning. Watching a team as rich as Toronto do it is even worse.

The previous 10 years worth of retools have pretty much led the Leafs to nowhere. I think the majority of Leaf fans will understand that rebuilding is the only way for long term success at this point

And like others have mentioned here already, the Coyotes sort of have the same view at the moment as well

 

[luongo321]

It worked for teams like Chicago because they got incredible luck AND they had an outstanding management/scouting team (getting first overall for kane, picking toews at 3rd, picking duncan keith at 54th overall plus all of those other players on that stacked 09-10 team). If your management/drafting sucks (Not saying leafs drafting sucks. Just talking about in general terms.), it doesn't matter if you tank or not. Just look at the oilers. I still remember Kevin Lowe's interview about his stanley cup rings and how to build a team. Just an arrogant guy that doesn't have a clue.

There are always teams rebuilding and some may rebuild better than others. Just because a team says they are rebuilding doesn't mean they are magically going to be some great team a few years down the road. I have no hope for the leafs. They have too much pressure from fans to think logically. Nonis and shanahan aren't going to right that ship. That's for damn sure.

 

[fahad203]

Yeah I'll believe it when I see it

Leafs organization is run by bi polar mentality. Directions changes quickly. We tried this back in 2008 when Burke took over

He called it retool. Different names, same old results

If any other GM on the helm, I would have believed it. Nonis is too risk averse. He's too afraid to make mistakes. Only reason he signed Clarkson because he didn't have to give up any assets

 

[XX]

The Coyotes haven't dropped an epic number of games straight, and are competing with good teams. There's no scorched earth plan. Maloney's idea of taking a step back is trading UFAs like any good manager would. Columbus and Carolina are doing the same thing, just with more injuries.

They thought the roster was playoff worthy (lol) this season, and they plan to be there next season according to ownership. No purposeful losing...

And like others have mentioned here already, the Coyotes sort of have the same view at the moment as well

... because one team only exists because the other makes exorbitant amounts of money. Sure, the cap lets you pretend like you're on a level playing field with other teams. Hell, the Coyotes can't even afford to spend to the cap. It should be an insult that the Leafs - with all of their resources - are kicking around the same territory as Carolina, Columbus, and Arizona.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Los Angeles, Chicago Black Hawks, Pittsburgh Penguins...yeah rebuilds are silly.

Basically the only argument against a full rebuild is Edmonton and unfortunately for them and their fan base, their management is incompetent.

And for everyone of those there is two failures, or at least teams that take 5+ years to get back to the playoffs.

 

[Territory]

It worked for teams like Chicago because they got incredible luck AND they had an outstanding management/scouting team (getting first overall for kane, picking toews at 3rd, picking duncan keith at 54th overall plus all of those other players on that stacked 09-10 team). If your management/drafting sucks (Not saying leafs drafting sucks. Just talking about in general terms.), it doesn't matter if you tank or not. Just look at the oilers. I still remember Kevin Lowe's interview about his stanley cup rings and how to build a team. Just an arrogant guy that doesn't have a clue.

You're right. Hunter and Dubas will help a lot with drafting and scouting I think though.

 

[cgf]

It would be really good for them if thye could follow buffalo's model, but I doubt it actually happens. This is like when the knicks decide to rebuild, they'll do it for a year or two, but when the fanbase gets all impatient again somebody will do something dumb and ruin the rebuild, forcing them to either start over again, or try to compete with a half baked core, like they did after bringing in Kessel.

 

[Aceonfire*]

So yah...

It's also pretty safe to say that Babcock won't be coaching in Toronto during a rebuild.

 

[Tuggy]

This has disaster written all over it. I will enjoy the show.

 

[tony d]

The Leafs need to start making trades ASAP, going to be interesting to see who they get.

 

[Nordique]

Kessel to LAK, Kings sneak into the 8th seed, win the cup.

 

[Dallas Eakins*]

Thank you shanny!